The Traitor. Kimberley Chambers

house had now been officially signed over to Joyce. Even though the circumstances were horrific, Joyce was thrilled finally to own such a wonderful property. Of course, she’d swap it for her old house in Upney tomorrow if it brought her Jessica back, but Joyce had to face facts: Jessica was gone for good, bless her soul.

      Joyce had added her own touches to the property in the last couple of weeks. She had painted the hallway a different colour, replaced the kitchen table for a smaller one and she’d had a beautiful picture of Jessica blown up and framed, which now took centre stage on the main wall in the lounge.

      Glancing at the kitchen clock, Joyce decided it was time she started getting ready. Not only were her friends coming tonight, but also Joey, Dominic and Stan’s mate, Jock.

      After the initial shock of discovering that her grandson was gay, Joyce had now embraced the fact. So what if Joey was different? There were many actors, singers and politicians who were the same way, and even one of the Kray twins was rumoured to be gay.

      Joyce had purchased a book, read up on the subject, then digested and accepted homosexual culture. She hadn’t told Stanley that Joey and Dominic were coming tonight. Her husband was an old-fashioned old fart and if he’d known their grandson was bringing his boyfriend over, he wouldn’t have invited Jock.

      Joyce smiled as she admired her new red frock. Tonight she would show off her new house and also tell everybody that Joey and Dominic were a couple. Being open was the only way forward and Joyce was sure that once her friends accepted the boys’ sexuality, then so would Stanley.

      Eddie, Stuart and Bertie Simms were glued to the screen. An old western was on the telly and the film was the bollocks. Bertie nudged Ed as he spotted one of Barry Macarthy’s mates heading their way.

      It was now common knowledge among the lags that Big Bald Baz had completely lost his eyesight. It was also common knowledge that he was seriously depressed and suicidal.

      Annoyed that he’d been interrupted while watching such a good movie, Eddie glared at Baz’s mate. ‘What?’ he asked sarcastically.

      ‘I thought you should know – Baz’s dead. He slit his wrists this morning with a razor blade.’

      Eddie nodded, then casually looked back at the telly. As Baz’s mate left the room, Ed turned to Stuart and Bert. ‘It’s a miracle the fat cunt could find the razor blade or his fucking wrists. I thought he was meant to be as blind as a bat,’ he said in a deadpan voice.

      Tickled by Ed’s comments, both Stuart and Bertie Simms burst out laughing.

      Frankie smiled politely at Jimmy O’Hara as he explained to her that he was breaking in a new horse. She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about so, rather than be rude or come across as thick, she decided to nod her head at appropriate moments.

      ‘You need to be brutal with ’em, Frankie. Show ’em who’s boss. Did you know that a horse has a brain the size of a pea?’

      When Alice and Jed walked into the room, Frankie was relieved. It was obvious that Jimmy had had a couple of beers too many and he was nigh on boring her to death.

      Alice smiled as she put the plate of sandwiches in front of Frankie. ‘Help yourself, darling.’

      ‘Oh, I’m fine thanks, Alice. Me and Jed went to Pizza Hut this afternoon. I still feel stuffed.’

      ‘You’re eating for two, Frankie. You need to keep your strength up for that chavvie of yours. Now, eat,’ she demanded, as she lifted the plate off the table and thrust it in front of Frankie’s nose.

      Not at all hungry, Frankie felt obliged to take a couple of sandwiches and nibble at them. Even though Alice had stopped the cookery lessons, Frankie still found her very domineering and scary. She hadn’t mentioned this to Jed. At the end of the day, Alice was his mum and she would hate to hurt his feelings.

      Jed and Jimmy were now deep in conversation so, swallowing a mouthful of her sandwich, Frankie desperately tried to think of something to say to Alice. Not having much in common with the woman, she decided to concentrate on the terrible car accident that Jed’s cousin had been involved in the day before.

      ‘Terrible news about Billy, wasn’t it, Alice? Jed’s been so upset,’ she said.

      Alice was confused. ‘What, my Billy? What you on about?’

      Frankie shook her head. Names were very confusing in travelling families, as they always seemed to call their children by the same few. Billy, Tommy, Stevie, Jack and Sammy seemed to be the most common. Jed had at least twenty members of his family with those names.

      ‘Sammy’s brother, Billy. You know, the one who’s in intensive care, who nearly lost his leg,’ Frankie said innocently.

      Clocking the words ‘Billy’, ‘leg’ and ‘intensive care’, Jed grabbed Frankie’s arm and quickly dragged her from the room.

      ‘Jed, you’re hurting me. What’s the matter?’ Frankie asked bemused.

      Away from his parents’ eyes and ears, Jed turned to her. ‘Me mum and dad don’t know about me cousin Billy, Frankie.’

      ‘What do you mean they don’t know? I thought you said that all your family were up the hospital with you. I knew your mum and dad weren’t, as I saw their lights on last night, but surely someone must have told them.’

      Jed paused. He was good at making up stories and quickly thought of his answer. ‘Me cousin Billy ain’t on me mum’s side of the family. We wanted to tell her and Dad, but because we thought that Billy might die last night, we decided it was best not to. You gotta remember, Frankie, it weren’t long ago that me mum miscarried and lost the chavvie. You weren’t living here at the time, but her and me dad were distraught. Billy being at death’s door would have brought it all back to them and I love my parents, Frankie, I can’t have ’em upset again.’

      Frankie couldn’t apologise enough. Jed was the most thoughtful person she had ever met and she had such a big mouth. ‘I am so sorry,’ she said, as she clung to him.

      Jed kissed her on the forehead. ‘It ain’t your fault, babe. I should have explained the situation to you. Don’t worry, I’ll make up some story to me mum, she won’t be none the wiser.’

      ‘Are you sure she won’t know, Jed? I’d feel terrible if I’ve put my big foot in it. I wouldn’t upset your mum or dad for the world.’

      Jed looked at Frankie’s worried expression and smiled. When they’d first met, Frankie had thought she was a match for his cleverness. She’d obviously rated herself far too highly, bless her.

      Joycie had had a wonderful evening. Joey and Dominic had both been entertaining and charismatic. Hilda and Rita were gobsmacked when she’d given them a full guided tour of the house, then told them it was now all hers. They’d seen the house on the day of Jessica’s funeral, but they’d never seen the upstairs before and they were really impressed with the size of the bedrooms.

      Jock and Stanley had talked pigeons most of the night, but this didn’t bother Joyce for once. She was a bit tiddly, happy in a strange sort of way, and decided it was each to their own. The words hen or cock usually grated on her, but they didn’t seem to bother her at all this evening.

      Returning from the lavatory, Joyce sat back down in her chair. Joey and Dominic looked really happy together and now she’d got her head around their unusual situation, she was thrilled for them. She topped up her glass and stood up.

      ‘I have an announcement to make, everybody,’ she said, tapping her glass with a spoon.

      Stanley, who had been busy talking to Jock, quickly realised that his wife was drunk. ‘Sit down, Joycie. Don’t make a show of yourself,’ he said, tugging the sleeve of her dress.

      Joycie ignored him. She’d read up on homosexuality and she was ready to give her speech on the matter. ‘I want to tell you about my grandson, Joey,’ she said proudly.

      Hilda,